The University of Alabama football team had two players named finalists for prominent national awards Thursday.

Senior nose tackle Terrence Cody was named a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy by the Football Writers Association of America and the Charlotte Touchdown Club, and junior linebacker Rolando McClain was named a finalist for the Butkus Award as linebacker of the year.

Cody's competition for defensive player of the year is Iowa linebacker Pat Angerer, Tennessee strong safety Eric Berry, TCU defensive end Jerry Hughes and Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh. The winner will be announced on Dec. 7.

McClain is up against Sergio Kindle of Texas, Eric Norwood of South Carolina, Brandon Spikes of Florida and Sean Weatherspoon of Missouri. McClain, Weatherspoon and Spikes were finalists in 2008.

The winner will be announced Dec. 8. The Butkus Award is selected by a 51-person panel comprised mostly of scouts, coaches and journalists.

The one Alabama fans may want to especially keep an eye on is the Maxwell for outstanding player in regards to sophomore running back Mark Ingram. However since 1999 the only player to win the Heisman Trophy and the Maxwell in the same year was Tim Tebow in 2007.